Insulator sleeve for a thermos bottle

ABSTRACT

An insulator sleeve includes: a seamed cylindrical body having top and bottom open ends, the seamed cylindrical body including an annular folded insulator wall of an insulator material, and an annular folded surface layer attached to the folded insulator wall, the folded insulator wall extending from the top open end to the bottom open end of the seamed cylindrical body, and having an outer surface, a folded end, and two free ends that are substantially flush with each other, the folded surface layer covering the outer surface of the folded insulator wall, and having a folded end that cooperates with the folded end of the folded insulator wall to define the top open end of the seamed cylindrical body; and a base secured to the bottom open end of the seamed cylindrical body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an insulator sleeve for a thermos bottle, more particularly to an insulator sleeve having a folded insulator wall covered by a surface layer.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional insulator sleeve for a thermos bottle. The insulator sleeve includes a cylindrical body 101 and a base 102 stitched to a bottom end of the cylindrical body 101. The cylindrical body 101 includes annular inner and outer surface layers 12, 13 and an annular insulator wall 11 of a foamed material sandwiched between the inner and outer surface layers 12, 13. The cylindrical body 101 is formed from two symmetrical halves that are stitched together. The conventional insulator sleeve is disadvantageous in that a top end of the insulator wall 11 is exposed from the inner and outer surface layers 12, 13, which results in an adverse effect on the appearance of the insulator sleeve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an insulator sleeve that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided an insulator sleeve that comprises: a seamed cylindrical body having top and bottom open ends respectively defining top and bottom openings, the seamed cylindrical body including an annular folded insulator wall of an insulator material, and an annular folded surface layer attached to the folded insulator wall, the folded insulator wall extending from the top open end to the bottom open end of the seamed cylindrical body, and having an outer surface, a folded end, and two free ends that are substantially flush with each other, the folded surface layer covering the outer surface of the folded insulator wall, and having a folded end that cooperates with the folded end of the folded insulator wall to define the top open end of the seamed cylindrical body; and a base secured to the bottom open end of the seamed cylindrical body for covering the bottom opening of the seamed cylindrical body.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a method for making an insulator sleeve. The method comprises: attaching a surface layer to an insulator sheet of an insulator material; folding the assembly of the surface layer and the insulator sheet into symmetrical halves such that the folded halves of the insulator sheet are sandwiched between the folded halves of the surface layer; scrolling and stitching the folded symmetrical halves of the assembly of the surface layer and the insulator sheet into a cylindrical body; and securing a base to a bottom open end of the cylindrical body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional insulator sleeve;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the conventional insulator sleeve;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an insulator sleeve according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 5A to 5E are perspective views to illustrate consecutive steps of the first preferred embodiment of a method for forming an insulator sleeve according to this invention;

FIGS. 6A to 6E are perspective views to illustrate consecutive steps of the second preferred embodiment of the method according to this invention; and

FIGS. 7A to 7E are perspective views to illustrate consecutive steps of the third preferred embodiment of the method according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the preferred embodiment of an insulator sleeve for a thermos bottle according to this invention. The insulator sleeve includes: a seamed cylindrical body 5 having top and bottom open ends respectively defining top and bottom openings 510, 520, the seamed cylindrical body 5 including an annular folded insulator wall 4 of an insulator material, and an annular folded surface layer 3 attached to the folded insulator wall 4, the folded insulator wall 4 extending from the top open end 51 to the bottom open end 52 of the seamed cylindrical body 5, and having an outer surface, a folded end 41, and two free ends 42 that are substantially flush with each other, the folded surface layer 3 covering the outer surface of the folded insulator wall 4, and having a folded end 31 that cooperates with the folded end 41 of the folded insulator wall 4 to define the top open end 51 of the seamed cylindrical body 5; and a base 6 secured to the bottom open end 52 of the seamed cylindrical body 5 for covering the bottom opening 520 of the seamed cylindrical body 5.

In this embodiment, the folded insulator wall 4 includes annular inner and outer wall portions 43, 44 that respectively define the free ends 42 of the folded insulator wall 4 and that are stacked and are adhesively bonded together.

The base 6 and the seamed cylindrical body 5 are stitched together. The base 6 includes a circular two-layered insulator wall 61 of the insulator material, and inner and outer surface layers 62, 63. The two-layered insulator wall 61 of the base 6 has inner and outer wall surfaces 611, 612. The inner and outer surface layers 62, 63 are respectively attached to the inner and outer wall surfaces 611, 612 of the two-layered insulator wall 61 of the base 6. A vent hole 65 is formed in the base 6 for facilitating insertion of the thermos bottle into the insulator sleeve.

FIG. 5A to 5E illustrate consecutive steps of the first preferred embodiment of a method for making the insulator sleeve of this invention. The method includes the steps of: attaching a surface layer 3′ to an insulator sheet 4′ of an insulator material (see FIGS. 5A and 5B); folding the assembly of the surface layer 3′ and the insulator sheet 4′ along a folding line 70 into symmetrical halves such that the folded halves of the insulator sheet 4′ are sandwiched between the folded halves of the surface layer 3′ (see FIG. 5C); scrolling and stitching the folded symmetrical halves of the assembly of the surface layer 3′ and the insulator sheet 4′ into a cylindrical body 5′ (see FIG. 5D and FIG. 5E); and securing a base 6′ to a bottom open end of the cylindrical body 5′ by stitching techniques (see FIG. 4). Note that the folded symmetrical halves of the surface layer 3′ and the insulator sheet 4′ may have a large size so as to be cut into different sizes for preparation of the cylindrical body 5 and the base 6.

In this embodiment, the folded halves of the insulator sheet 4′ are adhesively bonded together prior to the scrolling operation.

FIGS. 6A to 6E illustrate consecutive steps of the second preferred embodiment of a method for making the insulator sleeve of this invention. The method of this embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the assembly of the surface layer 3′ and the insulator sheet 4′ is folded along two opposite folding lines 71, 72 into two symmetric halves, and that the folded assembly is cut along two opposite cutting lines 73 so as to form a base-forming portion 75 and two opposite cylinder-forming portions 76 extending oppositely from the base-forming portion. The base-forming portion 75 and the cylinder-forming portions 76 are then stitched together to form the cylindrical body 5 and the base 6.

FIGS. 7A to 7E illustrate consecutive steps of the third preferred embodiment of a method for making the insulator sleeve of this invention. The method of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the folded assembly of the surface layer 3′ and the insulator sheet 4′ is cut along a cutting line 73 so as to form a cylinder-forming portion 76 and two opposite base-forming portions 75 extending from the same side of the cylinder-forming portion 76. The base-forming portions 75 and the cylinder-forming portion 76 are then stitched together to form the cylindrical body 5 and the base 6.

Since the top end, i.e., the folded end 41, of the folded insulator wall 4 is covered by the folded surface layer 3 in the insulator sleeve of this invention, the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art can be eliminated.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements. 

1. An insulator sleeve for a thermos bottle, comprising: a seamed cylindrical body having top and bottom open ends respectively defining top and bottom openings, said seamed cylindrical body including an annular folded insulator wall of an insulator material and an annular folded surface layer attached to said folded insulator wall, said folded insulator wall extending from said top open end to said bottom open end of said seamed cylindrical body, and having an outer surface, a folded end, and two free ends that are substantially flush with each other, said folded surface layer covering said outer surface of said folded insulator wall, and having a folded end that cooperates with said folded end of said folded insulator wall to define said top open end of said seamed cylindrical body; and a base secured to said bottom open end of said seamed cylindrical body for covering said bottom opening of said seamed cylindrical body.
 2. The insulator sleeve of claim 1, wherein said folded insulator wall includes annular inner and outer wall portions that respectively define said free ends of said folded insulator wall and that are stacked and are adhesively bonded together.
 3. The insulator sleeve of claim 2, wherein said base and said seamed cylindrical body are stitched together.
 4. The insulator sleeve of claim 2, wherein said base includes a circular two-layered insulator wall of said insulator material, and inner and outer surface layers, said two-layered insulator wall of said base having inner and outer wall surfaces, said inner and outer surface layers being respectively attached to said inner and outer wall surfaces of said two-layered insulator wall of said base.
 5. The insulator sleeve of claim 2, wherein said base is formed with a vent hole.
 6. A method for making an insulator sleeve, comprising: attaching a surface layer to an insulator sheet of an insulator material; folding the assembly of the surface layer and the insulator sheet into symmetrical halves such that the folded halves of the insulator sheet are sandwiched between the folded halves of the surface layer; scrolling and stitching the folded symmetrical halves of the assembly of the surface layer and the insulator sheet into a cylindrical body; and securing a base to a bottom open end of the cylindrical body.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising bonding adhesively the folded halves of the insulator sheet together prior to the scrolling operation.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the base is secured to the bottom open end of the cylindrical body by stitching.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the base includes inner and outer surface layers, and a circular two-layered insulator wall of said insulator material sandwiched between the inner and outer surface layers. 